Primary and Secondary Sources

When you’re doing research about an event, person or period in history, you want to look for historical sources of information. Some sources are considered primary sources, and others are considered secondary sources. Primary sources are made by someone who was actually a witness to the events described. Secondary sources are created some time after an event. They are information that someone has gathered and shaped. Secondary sources are often a summary, analysis, criticism or interpretation of the events based on one or more primary sources.

• People imagine events from the past and write about them to create historical sources.

• Primary sources are works of fiction, while secondary sources are generally nonfiction and both are historical.

• Historical sources come from witnesses and from people who study the accounts of witnesses.

• Secondary sources are historical because they analyze information, but primary sources are not historical.

Primary sources are always original, first-hand information. They are usually created at the time a specific event occurred. Sometimes, though, primary sources are told later by someone who witnessed the event. What matters is that the person giving the information actually experienced what he or she is telling about. Primary sources give an eyewitness account of what life was like at a certain time. They sometimes show the witness’s opinion about an event. Primary sources can be letters, diary entries, audio or video clips, personal interviews, photographs, property deeds, court records and even objects from a certain time and place.

Thea is writing a report on President Donald J. Trump and wants to include both primary and secondary sources. Which of the following sources is NOT a primary source about President Trump?

• a videotaped interview with him

• an encyclopedia entry about him

• a tweet he wrote and posted

• an email from him to his chief of staff

Secondary sources are made by someone who did not experience an event first-hand. Examples include textbooks, biographies, encyclopedia entries, concert reviews and magazine articles in which the reporter had to do research. A secondary source often uses one or more primary sources to create an overall picture of what life was like at a certain time or place. For example, the author of a book about the American Revolution would probably study letters, journal entries and artifacts from that time. Secondary sources are useful because they can give a lot of information at once. In essence, someone has already done a lot of research for you.

Which of the following is NOT true of secondary sources?

• They were created by a witness to the event being discussed.

• They can give a lot of information at one time.

• They create an overall picture of history.

• They often use one or more primary sources.

Both primary and secondary sources can contain bias. Primary sources are usually the work of one person. Some primary sources, like property deeds and census records, only state the facts. However, letters and diary entries often include a writer’s opinion about something in addition to the facts.

Secondary sources like textbooks and biographies are often largely factual, but they may also contain the opinions of the author. An author may use primary sources to shape a secondary source in a certain direction. For this reason, it’s important to think critically to distinguish impartial facts from biased opinion.

Which of the following primary sources is most likely to include opinions as well as facts?

• census data

• property deeds

• a personal letter

• a photograph

Which of the following is not considered a primary source?

• a diary entry

• a biography

• a letter

• a photograph

Which of the following is not considered a secondary source?

• an encyclopedia entry

• a textbook

• a magazine article

• an interview

A primary source is created by someone who

• read about an event.

• made up an event from their imagination.

• was present at an event.

• heard about an event from a witness.

Which of these is a primary source?

• a rap song about Harriet Tubman

• a photograph of Harriet Tubman

• an essay about Harriet Tubman

• a documentary film about Harriet Tubman